Obtaining Program Data Over a Network

1. A network comprising: a plurality of computing devices; one or more sources of program data; and a data store storing for the plurality of computing devices i) identification data associated with each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, and ii) source data identifying one or more sources of program data for the plurality of computing devices, wherein the one or more sources of program data being associated with the identification data for said each computing device, wherein said each computing device of the plurality of computing devices includes an operating system and a communications program implemented as software that is operable independently of the operating system of said each computing device, and wherein the communications program of said each computing device is configured to: a) communicate with the data store to provide the identification data associated with said each computing device and obtain from the data store, source data identifying at least one source of the one or more sources identified for said each computing device based on the identification data associated with said each computing device, and b) having obtained said source data from the data store, communicate with the identified at least one source of the one or more sources to obtain therefrom program data associated with the identification data for said each computing device.

2. A network according to claim 1 , wherein the communications program of said each computing device is further configured to install the program data obtained from the identified at least one source of the one or more sources.

3. A network according to claim 1 , wherein the program data of the identified at least one source of the one or more sources includes a program for installing tile program data.

4. A network according to claim 1 , wherein the communications program of said each computing device is part of a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS).

5. A network according to claim 1 , wherein the communications program of said each computing device is operable to send authentication data to the identified at least one source of the one or more sources and the identified at least one source of the one or more sources is operable to allow access thereto dependent on verification of the authentication data by the identified at least one source of the one or more sources.

6. A network according to claim 1 , wherein the communications program of said each computing device is arranged to send, to the identified at least one source of the one or more sources, data relating to a make of said each computing device as the identification data associated with said each computing device.

7. A network according to claim 1 , wherein the program data of the identified at least one source of the one or more sources comprises one or more of: settings data for an application program, a user interface, an application program, an operating system, and an image of a program installed on one or more computing devices of the network.

8. A network according to claim 1 , wherein the data store is a Domain Name Server.

9. A network according to claim 1 , wherein one of the one or more sources of program data, responsive to the corresponding identification data of a computing device of the plurality of computing devices received from said computing device, provides to said computing device a list of corresponding program data stored by the one of the one or more sources of program data, and the corresponding communications program of said computing device is configured to respond to a selection of the corresponding program data from the list of corresponding program data to obtain the selected corresponding program data from the one of the one or more sources of program data.

10. A computing device of the plurality of computing devices for use in the network of claim 1 , wherein said computing device of the plurality of computing devices includes an operating system and a corresponding communications program implemented as software that is operable independently of the operating system of said computing device, and wherein the corresponding communications program of said each computing device is configured to: a) communicate with the data store to provide corresponding identification data associated with said computing device and receive from the data store the corresponding source data associated with the corresponding identification data for said computing device, b) having received the corresponding source data from the data store, communicate with the corresponding identified at least one source of the one or more sources to obtain therefrom corresponding program data associated with the corresponding identification data for said computing device, and c) install the corresponding program data obtained from the corresponding identified at least one source of the one or more sources.

11. A computing device according to claim 10 , wherein the corresponding communications program of said computing device is operable to send authentication data to the corresponding identified at least one source of the one or more sources and the corresponding identified at least one source of the one or more sources is operable to allow access thereto dependent on verification of the authentication data by the corresponding identified at least one source of the one or more sources.

12. A computing device according to claim 10 , wherein the corresponding communications program of said computing device is arranged to send, to the data store, data relating to a make of said computing device.

13. A server for use in the network of claim 1 , the server comprising a processor and a memory storing for each computing device of the plurality of computing devices connectable to the network i) the corresponding identification data associated with the corresponding each computing device, and ii) the corresponding source data identifying for the corresponding each computing device a source of program data associated with the corresponding identification data for the corresponding each computing device, wherein computer instructions stored in the memory of the server, when executed by the processor of the server, configure the server to: a) respond to a request from the corresponding each computing device, wherein the request includes the corresponding identification data to obtain the source data identifying said source of program data suitable for the corresponding each computing device, and b) provide the obtained source data associated with the corresponding identification data to the corresponding each computing device.

14. A server according to claim 13 , wherein the source data comprises service (SRV) records defining locations of the one or more sources of program data.

15. A server according to claim 13 , wherein the server is a Domain Name Server.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions that are executable by a processor in a network, the network comprising: a plurality of computing devices; one or more sources of program data; and a data store storing for the plurality of computing devices i) identification data associated with each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, and ii) source data identifying one or more sources of program data for the plurality of computing devices, wherein the one or more sources of program data being associated with the identification data for said each computing device, wherein said each computing device of the plurality of computing devices includes an operating system and a communications program implemented as software that is operable independently of the operating system of said each computing device, and wherein said computer instructions, when executed by the processor, cause said each computing device to: a) communicate with the data store to provide the identification data associated with said each computing device and obtain from the data store, source data identifying at least one source of the one or snore sources identified for said each computing device based on the identification data associated with said each computing device, and b) having obtained said source data from the data store, communicate with the identified at least one source of the one or snore sources to obtain therefrom program data associated with the identification data for said each computing device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 16 , wherein said computer instructions, when executed by the processor, cause said each computing device to install the program data obtained from the identified at least one source of the one or more sources.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 16 , wherein said computer instructions, when executed by the processor, cause said each computing device to send authentication data to the identified at least one source of the one or more sources.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 16 , wherein said computer instructions, when executed by the processor, cause said each computing device to send, to the data store, data relating to a make of said each computing device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 16 , wherein said computer instructions, when executed by the processor, cause said each computing device to: receive from one of the one or more sources of program data, in response to the corresponding identification data of said each computing device, a list of corresponding program data stored by the one of the one or more sources of program data, and respond to a selection of the corresponding program data from the list of corresponding program data to obtain the selected corresponding program data from the one of the one or more sources of program data.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions which, when executed by a processor in a data store in a network, adapt the operation of the data store to store for a plurality of computing devices connectable to the network i) identification data associated with each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, and ii) source data identifying one or more sources of program data for the plurality of computing devices, wherein at least one source of the one or more sources of program data being associated with the identification data for said each computing device, wherein said each computing device of the plurality of computing devices includes an operating system and a communications program implemented as software that is operable independently of the operating system of said each computing device, and wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the processor, configure the data store to: a) respond to a request from said each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the request includes the identification data associated with said each computing device to obtain the source data identifying the at least one source of the one or more sources identified for said each computing device based on association with the identification data for said each computing device, and b) provide the obtained source data identifying the at least one source of the one or more sources to said each computing device.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 21 , wherein the source data stored in the data store comprises service (SRV) records defining locations of the one or more sources of program data.

23. A network comprising: a plurality of computing devices; one or more sources of program data; and a data store storing for the plurality of computing devices connectable to the network i) identification data associated with each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, and ii) source data identifying one or more sources of program data for the plurality of computing devices, wherein the one or more sources of program data are associated with the identification data for said each computing device, wherein said each computing device of the plurality of computing devices includes an operating system and a communications program implemented as a program that is operable independently of the operating system of said each computing device, and wherein the communications program of said each computing device is configured to: a) communicate with the data store to provide the identification data associated with said each computing device and obtain from the data store, source data identifying at least one source of the one or more sources identified for said each computing device based on the identification data associated with said each computing device, and b) having obtained said source data from the data store, communicate with the identified at least one source of the one or more sources to obtain therefrom program data associated with the identification data for said each computing device.

24. A network according to claim 23 , wherein the data store is a Domain Name Server.

25. A network according to claim 23 , wherein the source data stored in the data store comprises service (SRV) records defining locations of the one or more sources of program data.

26. A computing device of the plurality of computing devices configured for use in the network of claim 23 , wherein said computing device of the plurality of computing devices includes an operating system and a corresponding communications program implemented as a program that is operable independently of the operating system of said computing device, and wherein the corresponding communications program of said each computing device is configured to: a) communicate with the data store to provide corresponding identification data associated with said computing device and receive from the data store the corresponding source data associated with the corresponding identification data for said computing device, and b) having received the corresponding source data from the data store, communicate with the corresponding identified at least one source of the one or more sources to obtain therefrom corresponding program data associated with the corresponding identification data for said computing device.

27. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions, the computer instructions being executable by a computing device in a network, the network comprising: a plurality of computing devices; one or more sources of program data; and a data store storing for the plurality of computing devices connectable to the network i) identification data associated with each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, and ii) source data identifying one or more sources of program data for the plurality of computing devices, wherein the one or more sources of program data are associated with the identification data for said each computing device, wherein said each computing device of the plurality of computing devices includes an operating system and a communications program implemented as a program that is operable independently of the operating system of said each computing device, and wherein said computer instructions, when executed by said computing device, cause said each computing device to: a) communicate with the data store to provide the identification data associated with said each computing device and obtain from the data store, source data identifying at least one source of the one or more sources identified for said each computing device based on the identification data associated with said each computing device, and b) having obtained said source data from the data store, communicate with the identified at least one source of the one or more sources to obtain therefrom program data associated with the identification data for said each computing device.

28. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions, the computer instructions being executable by a server having a processor and a data store, the data store storing for a plurality of computing devices connectable to a network i) identification data associated with each computing device of the plurality of computing devices of the network, and ii) source data identifying one or more sources of program data for the plurality of computing devices, wherein the one or more sources of program data are associated with the identification data for said each computing device, wherein said each computing device of the plurality of computing devices includes an operating system and a communications program implemented as a program that is operable independently of the operating system of said each computing device, and wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the server, configure the server to: a) respond to a request from said each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the request includes the identification data associated with said each computing device to obtain the source data identifying the at least one source of the one or more sources identified for said each computing device based on association with the identification data for said each computing device, and b) provide the obtained source data identifying the at least one source of the one or more sources to said each computing device.

29. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 28 , wherein the source data comprises service (SRV) records defining locations of the one or more sources of program data.